A digest about that other famous beverage

North Coast releases third Old Stock Cellar Reserve

Fort Bragg’s North Coast Brewing is releasing the third in its Cellar Reserve series, taking the already extravagant, award-winning Old Stock Ale and aging it two years in brandy barrels. Previous releases were 2007, also aged in brandy barrels, and 2009, aged in bourbon barrels.

Old Stock starts as what’s known as an Old Ale – think a malty English barleywine (the two styles are similar and the names are sometimes even used interchangeably, though purists disapprove) – an 11.9 percent ABV brew designed to stand up to long cellaring, a thing that is not recommended for most other beer styles. The 2011 Cellar Reserve, meanwhile, comes in at 15.9 percent, the strongest of the cellar series so far, and adds the extra layer of wood and brandy to the mix.

As with previous releases, the 2011 Cellar Reserve will be available in a 500 ml bottle, sealed with a cork.

About this blog

A resident of Santa Rosa for most of his life, Peter Lopez Jr., 34, has taken over the duties of beer blogger for the Press Democrat. He has been a part of the beer and wine industry for almost his entire adult life and brings a wealth of knowledge. Currently Peter is a partner at the Healdsburg Emporium where he does the beer and wine purchasing. He is also the wine buyer at Fircrest Market in Sebastopol and the administrator of the NorCal Beer Geeks group on Facebook.

Beer is a big business in this part of the world, with some of the best and most sought-after brews made right in our own back yard. But too often that beer culture is hidden behind the iconic wine industry that defines the region. The Beer Country blog will bring you news and notes about our local brew scene, and maybe a little about cider while we’re at it. Have news, ideas, or questions that need answering? Drop a line in the comments section of the blog or email us at info@pressdemocrat.com